Russian strikes kill at least 8 civilians as fierce fighting continues in Ukraine’s south and east

Overnight Russian assaults on 11 Ukrainian regions resulted in the death of at least eight civilians, with others injured, according to reports released Saturday. The ongoing intense conflict involves Ukraine’s attempts to reclaim territory currently occupied by Russian forces.

Authorities from the regional prosecutor’s office in Donetsk, in the east, reported that Russian forces killed at least four individuals, including a married pair, during Friday night’s bombardment of Niu-York, a settlement located south of the city of Bakhmut. This area was previously the epicenter of the war’s lengthiest and deadliest battle until it was overtaken by Moscow in May. An additional three inhabitants of Niu-York were taken to the hospital.

Ukraine’s interior ministry, on Saturday morning, reported the death of two civilians in Kostiantynivka, a city in the Donetsk region, due to Russian strikes from multiple rocket launchers the previous night. A third civilian was injured in the same incident, which led to the destruction of 20 private homes, vehicles, and a gas pipeline, as stated in an official Telegram post from the ministry.

In an area near the northern city of Chernihiv, roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Russian border, two lives were lost when Russian cruise missiles decimated the local cultural center and inflicted damage on residential buildings. The regional military administration reported this on Saturday morning without specifying the exact time of the attack, only indicating it happened within the last 24 hours.

Local Governor Serhiy Lysak reported Saturday that three civilians were injured during an overnight Russian bombardment of a town adjacent to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Ukrainian authorities have consistently alleged that the Zaporizhzhia plant, seized by Russian forces early in the war, has been used as a launchpad for attacks on nearby Ukrainian-held territories. There are growing concerns that Russia could potentially sabotage the power plant, the largest in Europe, as a method to thwart Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive, which has centered around the Zaporizhzhia region and the industrial east of the country.

The Ukrainian capital had a quiet night, with no air raid alerts observed by AP journalists stationed in Kyiv.

On Saturday morning, the Ukrainian air force announced that it had successfully downed 14 Russian drones overnight, five of which were Iranian-made, in the southeast region of the country where battles continue. According to a routine social media update, the air force claimed that all Iranian-manufactured Shahed exploding drones deployed by Russian troops overnight were neutralized, highlighting Ukraine’s increasing effectiveness in dealing with these threats.

To stay updated on the conflict in Ukraine, follow AP’s coverage: https://bigbignews.net/russia-ukraine

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Russian Strikes in Ukraine

More about Russian Strikes in Ukraine

• AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine
• Background on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
• More about the conflict in Ukraine
• Overview of Donetsk region
• Information on Russian Military Technology